This invention relates to surgical instruments, more particularly to a surgical instrument for use in surgical suturing.
In certain surgical procedures the physician or surgeon must suture two sides of tissue together. This is accomplished by passing the point of a needle, often a curved needle, through the two sides of tissue successively or simultaneously and then pulling the remainder of the needle body through the tissue to carry the suture thread with it. The needle may be pulled or driven completely through by hand or using instruments such as needle drivers, hemostats or similar plier-like devices. Whether the needle is cleared by hand or by instruments there will be an exposed needle point being moved around a confined space, usually with numerous nurses' or surgeons' hands, fingers, wrists or other parts in close proximity. There is obviously considerable opportunity for accidental needle-prick of those hands, fingers or wrists, a prick that in recent years is potentially lethal to those receiving the wound no matter how minor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a surgical instrument adapted for driving, manipulating and extracting or clearing a suture needle with means protecting against accidental pricks by the needle point of persons who must have their fingers or hands near the suturing site during surgical procedures.